The biggest MINI of them all, the Countryman, debuted its refreshed looks for the guests at the 2014 New York Auto Show.

The compact SUV still rides on its current platform, and still uses the 1.6-liter four-pot that pushes anywhere from 121 to 208 horsepower, depending upon whether the owner selects the Cooper, Cooper S or John Cooper Works trims. A six-speed manual is standard on all, with a six-speed auto available for a few more dollars. All-wheel drive is optional for the Cooper and Cooper S, standard for the John Cooper Works model.

Starting price for the 2015 Countryman is expected to be around $23,000, and will arrive in showrooms this July.

Alec Issigonis will be rotating so fast in his grave if his corpse could be hooked up to a generator I suspect we would have an energy source that would end the threat of climate change. Just get the German designers to keep churning out top quality designs like this and we will be good.

I suspect it may be time to let go of the memory of the original Issigonis Mini, at least insofar as it applies to the modern ones. They share a name and some quaint styling cues and That Is IT. That’s all. No other relationship. None intended, none provided.

The original Mini was a superbly cheap, efficient (nay ingenious) and fun to drive deathtrap. I’m a Mick, I grew up with these things, I’m well aware of the charms. The new (BMW) MINIs are none of those things bar fun to drive (and fuel-efficient). It’s an ultra-premium subcompact of the sort that it’s been quite hard to buy in the States until very recently. It’s popularity (and make no mistake, it is _hugely_ popular considering how little practical sense it makes) is all about the buying, owning and driving experience. This Countryman will sell strongly, just like most of the rest of the MINI models. Some of the cognoscenti will make fun, some will make Issigonis jokes (and it is very much on the record that Alec was _not_ impressed by the BINI) and the dealers will make out like bandits.

The ‘ new ‘ MINI Countryman . Same as the old . Still underpowered [ especially in AWD ]… still over weight .. a bit cheap around the edges [ in comparison to the MINI and the Clubman ] .. more than a bit over the top design wise [ again in comparison to the MINI and Clubman ] .. but damn if the Countryman isn’t MINI’s top seller of late . Hmmmn .

As for moi ? No thanks . I’ll wait for the MINI Countryman for grownups 2.0 powered next generation BMW X1 to come out . MINI Countryman dynamics and handling . With the power the Countryman has been begging for since its inception . BMW badge on its snout . And looks .. both exterior and interior .. an adult can live with

You could say that about anything, but at the end of the day who wants to read or speak out if the comments consist of 100% agreeing with the author? What makes TTAC so great is the diverse selection of opinions, not monotonous opinionless rambling where you expect every next sentence.
I keep thinking back to Caroline’s article about sites speaking about only the positives of cars, that’s valueless manure to anyone that cares.